Dear Blogger
The story of St. John the Baptist Church 1.
RUYTON CHURCH OR CASTLE - WHICH CAME FIRST?
We have no record of when Ruyton Castle (a pile of stones to you and me) was built but as Hamo le Strange built the castle at Knockin, it is highly likely that his brother John, who took over as Lord of the newly amalgamated manors of Ruyton, Wykey and Felton in 1156-60, and had already built Myddle Castle, also built the one at Ruyton.
At the base of the churchyard wall north of the castle can be seen the original fortifications which protected the inner bailey area of the castle. This open space within the wall would have included the strongly built keep, a wooden structure of three, four or even 5 stories, perhaps as high as the present church tower, these were the living quarters of the Lord and his family.
The inner bailey also encompassed a chapel which, by 1148 was under the jurisdiction of the mother church of Baschurch, was probably for the use of the occupants of the castle.
So there you are, once you have a Lord of the Manor in a castle, his family needed somewhere to pray and receive the sacrament.
An extract from my book `Ruyton XI Towns - Unusual Name, Unusual History`.
More on our church in the next bulletin
